Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-26
A BEEF FAMINE PROBABLE
Interesting Statistics as TO the Decrease
Of the Cattle Product this Year over

CHICAGO, August 26.-The Tribune this morning
has long article on the dressed-beef ring, and
how 1t is proiting by the low price OF cattle. IL
says IL Is assumed in many quarters that a beef
lalLi!le Is net lar away. Estimates as TO the de-
Struct.on OF cattle in the Northwest last winter
are tnat III Montana there were about 400 600
head IN luaho about 100000. in wyoming about
ooO,OOO, ia Colorado about 10000, or 1000 head
III al. During the summer, on account OF the ex-
cessve drought IL is estimated that the losses in
the UeeI-proIucing States. such as Illinois Iowa
Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, and in New Mexico
Texas. Nebraska, Minnesota, and Dakota, swell
the total to 100000 head OF beeves. Many how
ever, assert lAe9e nEdres are lar too high. But
this is not the main TACT which
INDICATES A FUTURE FAMINE.
IL Is no" KNOWN mat IRON % 10 - per cent less
or calVeS We're porn this We r than Is usual owing.
TO climatic causes, which must have its effect in
time. To this must be added the fact that cattle
producers have been rushing their suryfy, no
stock on the market at an unparalleled rate a pd
that from these and other causes many ranchm, IN
are discouraged and are going out Of busneS $.
IAcSe Wno are opposed 10 this view argue Jlla &
there are still 2S.Oo000O beeves and l3 600 O0 }
mllch cows IN The country. The bulk of these,
however, enter into local consumption and use
characterized the cattle business, is manifest in
business circles. The producer Ends not "A dollar
or pront, and more often heavy losses CHARGED
against MS account. the market price has been
low On account @ oi The g.ut, for in Chicago alone
over %UO,Ooo head VI cattle have been thrust on
the market In the last thirty days.
IN ORDER TO GET INFORMATION
on the cattle Question fully 100 authorities have
area, and the views OF those men, together with
the facts obtained, are brought together only the
commission Lnan, with his hands Iull OF business
seems happy. The producer is peSsinistic. The
stock yards were never in state greater actfy-
ity. The receipts ia a single day have been 1880
head OF cattle, The largest known. Rangers from
all parts or the country abound, and each one mas
different story 10 tell. The yards are overfiowng
with stock. Money Is in great demand, and prices
are regulated according to the necessity OF cash
for the producers. While some beeleS are In con-
diton. the generality are thin aud thirst-staryed
stock.
ONE THING THAT IMPRESS rs THE CONSUMER
Is that lac gets beef no cheaper because The pro-
ducer sells it Tor little Who Is IL gets The biz
sum in between the price paiG by the prOiuceT
and the consumer Ii Is hinted by ranchlnen that
ii is a dressed beef monopoly. Interstate COM
merce laws have no terrorS FOR these dressed beef
IIen. Tie low price OF beef Is their opportunity
Il they fail 10 keep beef down they VIII quickly
purchase all that Is offered for future delivery
These monopUlistS lost both sides, the producer
and consrner alike. On every bullock there is a
profit or $40 TO the dressed beef monopoly and
either loss or an even thing Tor the producer.
The consumer pays monopoly the extra SO profit.